


Even beyond death

by Plume8now



Series: Tumblr Prompts [5]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Canonical Character Death, Character Turned Into a Ghost, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Post-Marineford, Psychological Trauma, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-05
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-06-16 08:45:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19644475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Plume8now/pseuds/Plume8now
Summary: “It’s not because you don’t see me that I’m not here.”





	Even beyond death

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Doggyband](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doggyband/gifts).



It had been six months. It felt like forever. The past looked like an old, blurry snail phone projection he’d watched once, and that was now lost forever. He hated that projection. Or rather, he hated how it made him feel.

Just like broken sequences of a cinematographic work, Marco could remember torn faces and shattered voices. Most of them, gone. Sometimes, he would catch a smell that reminded him of a particular dish in the air, or remember the way they used to tease one another – their high fives, their fights, and  _ his  _ cuddles, when no one was looking. It was his golden age, gone -  _ dead _ .

In the past few months, Marco had felt nothing but regret. He could see – he could  _ hear _ , again and  _ again _ , the events of his last war. When Monkey D. Luffy yelled, out of pain. An inhuman scream. Something in him broke, thinly, like a subtle crack. Then,  _ his  _ captain. Tears ran down his cheeks and there was nothing he could do to stop them. The Phoenix’s body moved, working on automatic survival, with only three orders guiding his brain.  _ Protect brother. Save crew. Make it out alive.  _ It was his Father’s will. It would be Ace’s wish.

That crack was still there. It turned him into an empty man, with an empty future – it stained Marco’s life like Ace’s blood on Marineford’s ground.

“You’re thinking about me again,” a voice so similar to Ace’s echoed. “You’re still looking down, your left hand covering your neck, as if you had something to hide.”

Marco froze, his heart jumping at that voice. His eyes scanned the room, looking for someone –  _ anyone  _ – who could be the cause of this. A devil fruit user, a trick machine,  _ anything _ .

But he was alone.

“Wh-“

“Wait,” and that voice terrified him again, because it was so clear, so present, so real – so  _ him _ . “You can hear me?”

“Stop-,” the doctor whispered. “whoever this is, stop this.”

“Marco?”

This intonation – that crack widened, and he felt like he was finally hitting his breaking point. Just like Monkey D. Luffy did as he screamed to the heavens as his brother - as  _ Ace  _ died in his arms. 

“Marco wait- I’m here. I’m here, look up, please- please look up.”

The Phoenix felt pants leave him as a trigger point was pressed upon, over and  over _.  _ He stepped back and hit the wall. Slowly, he let his body slide until he found himself sitting on the floor. Blue flames surged out of his body, threatening.

“Please, look up.”

“Don’t do this to me yoi, I can’t deal with this-“

“It’s me- listen, you  _ listen _ to me now- I’ve been here since- urg, forever! But  _ you just never listen _ -“

“What?”

“Can you see me? Of course you can’t, you idiot. It’s like, our whole relationship- couldn’t see that time when I planned for us to be alone-“

“SHUT UP YOI,” Marco yelled. “Where- where are you?”

“On your left.”

He turned and looked.

“You’re lying.”

“It’s not because you don’t see me that I’m not here.”

“Prove it.”

He tried to sound authoritative, but his voice trembled. If this was a game, he would kill whoever was responsible.

“Did you get news from Luffy?”

“That doesn’t- oH MY GOD”

He was here. Not, _here_ here. He couldn’t possibly be - he was _dead,_ he’d seen him, he’d seen his body - he was buried, six feet under. There was a grave with his name on it, now. And yet the doctor could _see_ him - but _not really._ Other than his appearance, there was no trace of him. He could not feel him. No subtle scent of ash in the air. No change in the atmosphere. It was as if he was not belonging to this world - as if the laws of gravity did not apply to him anymore - as if he could float in the air. Even his form looked so fragile - so brittle - Marco had the feeling he could disappear at any moment. 

He let out a small “you’ve gotta be kidding me” under his breath.

“You’re awfully silent. Like, constantly, for the past months. You just, never talk. After all this time, I thought you’d eventually hear me, if I kept trying. I’ve been bored to dea-“ Ace’s eyes met Marco’s, and he promptly aborted his sentence. “What I’m saying is that I’ve always been here, since, you know.”

Marco stared. His right hand rose in order to touch him – his face, his cheek – but froze. Ace’s lips twitched into a sad smile.

“I’ve tried to touch you, too. But you couldn’t see me, so…”

“You can’t be there,” the Phoenix murmured. “I’ve lost you.”

“You haven’t lost me,” he smiled. “You couldn’t get rid of me even if you tried.”

“Don’t- Stop joking, you can’t laugh about this- that’s-“

Ace took a step forward.

“I’m sorry.”

_ I’m sorry Thatch died. I’m sorry I couldn’t get Teach. I’m sorry I didn’t listen. I’m sorry I lost. I’m sorry I died. I’m sorry you had to undergo all of this. _

“I’m sorry for Pops.”

“I-“

So he had been there, all along. He knew.

“You’ve seen…?”

Fire Fist nodded.

“It wasn’t supposed to end like this,” Marco said.

“You saved him.”

_ Luffy. _

“I tried.”

“Thank you.”

Marco took a step forward, too.

“Can I?”

“You know I’ve never been that big of a hugger.”

A smile cracked on Marco’s face.

“That’s what you always say.”

Ace grinned.

“I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt-gift for the amazing angst lover that is my friend Manic~ I'd like to thank Petite-Neko for his support and correction!  
> The sentence that inspired this work was "You haven't lost me"!  
> Feedbacks are greatly appreciated :)


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